The Real Journey
by 80sUnLoveChild
Summary: How 'Journey' was supposed to play out...


**DISCLAIMER: No ownage. **

**~GLEE~**

At first she figured she was having that dream again, of course certain details were different, after all it had been a while since she had last had it. So in tried and true fashion she pinched herself.

Yep that hurt, so not a dream then, Finn just smiled at her and fixed her hair that was falling in her eye. His words continued to echo through her mind, _I love you_. As far as spontaneous declarations of love go right before they sang a love song that seemed like it was written for them in front of everyone including their parents, friends and exes this particular declaration was definitely unexpected.

For once her voice failed her, Finn squeezed her hand and returned to his door taking his cue and entering the auditorium and singing. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

Much like at the sectionals she pushed her way into the room and started to move down the aisle but this time it was with slow, deliberate steps, she didn't even notice that there were hundreds of eyes on her, she kept her gaze locked on Finn.

"_I'm forever yours, faithfully." _

He gave her that tiny hint of a smile and nod, she felt lighter and smiled broadly continuing determinedly to the stage and striding to him. They kept their eyes locked on each other throughout the song; her heart beating like crazy, it was as though someone was tattooing the song across it.

The crowd clapped and Finn offered his hand, it was warm and inviting and just Finn. Sharing a wink as they got into position she breathed deeply, she could sort out her crazy heart later right now they had a competition to win.

There was always a high you got from performing, and performing well. It was the exhilaration, pounding through your veins; bubbling in your blood and generally making you want to scream and shriek and jump up and down. Finn had grabbed her hand once they were back in their warm up room, picking her up and twirling her.

"Finn! Put me down!"

She didn't want him to though, she was in the air and everyone was smiling and laughing and in that moment it didn't matter that essentially the fate of their friendship, all of theirs was in the balance. It didn't matter because they did it, and they loved it.

"Quinn's water broke!"

Puck shouted at the room having jumped on the couch. He stayed there for a moment before rushing back, Mercedes and Kurt both hurried after him. Rachel came back down to earth, Finn let go and she sat on the couch watching the rest of the club flee the room.

"Rach, aren't you coming?" Finn asked from the door, only Mr. Schuester was still here.

How could she explain this away? She wanted to stay, she wanted to watch Vocal Adrenaline and feel the satisfaction that New Directions were in fact better than them. She didn't want to go to a hospital and watch a baby girl be given away like a take out box at McDonalds.

"Someone should stay." Mr. Schuester said for her reading the emotions on her face, it wasn't hard. "In case we're not back in time for the results."

"I'm the captain, It should be me." She volunteered quickly. "But you guys should hurry, if her labour moves quickly you may not get to the hospital in time for the epidural and then she'll kill you."

The two guys moved with amazing speed leaving Rachel alone amongst the clothes they'd travelled in, cosmetics, hairspray and a lot of stuff that she had never seen before. She didn't know how long she sat there; someone must have turned the volume back on because she could hear the start of Vocal Adrenaline's performance. _Bohemian Rhapsody._ If your team was already great you wouldn't need to pull out such showy and dramatic numbers, it was the lyrical version of hairography; a whole lot of guitars and poignant lyrics.

She watched them for a few moments, studied their obviously rehearsed number that they performed with pinpoint precision. They were perfect. At least on the surface, she waited for the sight of Jesse, or his voice to shatter her but it didn't. All she saw was a smarmy guy who peaked in high school and would have no idea how to survive in the real world. Sure a few slushies in the face was painful, but it was nothing in comparison to the gruelling rejection of Broadway producers, at least she was mildly prepared for that.

"Congratulations."

Of course VA's room was adorned with a gold star, Shelby had told her it was her thing. She'd gone home after that and thrown away every sticker she had. She looked up and thanked her.

"But we beat you today." She said walking further into the room. "Jesse's a good singer but you and I both know he doesn't have much heart. None of your team do unless you told them to egg me in the school parking lot as some kind of team bonding exercise."

"What?" Shelby asked dropping her spoon in her coffee splattering the hot liquid everywhere. "They did what?"

"Of course Jesse didn't tell you." Rachel smiled sadly. "Your little group threw eggs at me last week, and the only reason they had to do that was because they wanted to break me. They wanted me to break because they knew that was their only chance at winning another trophy."

"Rachel I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She apologized reaching forward to grab Rachel's arm but she stepped back coldly refusing her.

"Would it have mattered either way? I'm not your daughter remember?" Opening the door she made to leave but not without one final word. "Heart. That's how we beat you, your team doesn't have it, how could they when their teacher doesn't either."

She was out of the room and safely back in her own dressing room before she let the tears fall down her face. It was the kind of tears that just refused to stop, your chest heaved with the strain and your nose filled with snot.

_Quinn had the baby, 6 pounds 3 ounces. On our way back now, there's no way you can hold that big trophy all by yourself. Finn x_

She tried to smile, a beautiful baby girl. This should be a happy moment but how could she smile when another baby was going to grow up without her mother.

**3GLEE3**

The three teams plus their coaches were crammed onto the stage, their group was missing Puck and Quinn but Mercedes had her phone on speaker so they could hear everything from the hospital. Rachel was keeping a death grip on Finn's hands, he'd pulled her into his body when Jesse had smugly come to stand near them, it was a clear sign telling the other boy to back off.

She'd tried not to look at Shelby, but she couldn't help but sneak a glance at the woman. She inwardly cheered at the fact that she looked so stricken; it served the hope giving and subsequent dream crushing woman right.

The group fell silent as the judge's walked past, not one of them smiling at them encouragingly. That couldn't be good. Sue grabbed the microphone and dispensed with the pleasantries. Every hand was grasped in another members, Mercede's phone pushed towards the speakers.

A tingle of excitement ran down at her spine as _Aural Intensity_ that really was an idiotic name left the stage with their second place trophy. Now all that separated her from Jesse was a foot and a tall basketball and football playing jock that loved her. Wrapping his arms around her more securely she kissed his cheek briefly pretending not to feel the holes Jesse's eyes were boring into her.

"Excuse me!"

Rachel opened her eyes, that wasn't Sue's voice, it was…

"I'm Shelby Corcoran and I'm the coach of Vocal Adrenaline."

There was a smattering of applause; it was as though they weren't sure if it was an applause moment. It wasn't.

"Before the judges read out their decision I have an announcement to make." Shelby turned so that her eyes were locked with Rachel's. "I'm withdrawing VA from the competition on the grounds that they violated rule 17C of the Show Choir Handbook."

"What's rule 17C?" Josh Groban asked, this was definitely not what he had signed up for. "And why does it matter?"

"Rule 17C states that any team that executes a violent or aggressive act on an opposing team is immediately disqualified from competition." Shelby answered smiling sadly at Rachel. "Whilst I was aware of the toilet paper and slashed tyres it was only earlier I was told that several of my students attacked a member of New Directions with eggs. This is not a harmless prank, it could have had serious repercussions and as an educator I feel it is my duty to withdraw my team from competition."

The crowd fell into whispers but given the size the sound was deafening, the two teams each turned to their coach's asking questions that only one person had the answer to. Finn and Rachel were the only two people who hadn't moved, leaning down, she really was tiny he whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded her hair swishing against his front the smell filling his nostrils. Sue was yelling into the microphone no doubt wishing for her bull horn, the group were surprised she didn't pull it out of nowhere.

"Everyone shut up!"

Shelby walked forward ignoring her students with an icy composure and handed over a well-worn handbook that was of course decorated with gold stars.

"I underlined the passage right here, and there's footage of the incident on the Internet. Someone with the username Berry_Stalker_4lyf posted it on you tube and his personal website."

Finn's arms tightened around Rachel as she trembled slightly, they'd definitely be talking about that Berry Stalker later on, it was most likely that Jacob kid. He was long overdue for a talking to.

Phones all around the theatre had been pulled out and people were alternatively giggling and gasping as they watched the footage of Vocal Adrenaline absolutely cover Rachel with eggs.

"The girl in the video had previously been in a relationship with one of my students who used intimate knowledge to insure the most humiliating consequences." Shelby continued looking away from Rachel and over to Jesse. "UCLA were very interested when I spoke to them, I wouldn't be counting on that scholarship offer."

New Directions each shared a smile at that, now that was definitely something to celebrate, Finn could hear Puck's snorting laughter over the phone line as well as Quinn shushing him.

"Look Josh and I have a plane to catch so can we wrap this up?" Olivia Newton John interrupted tapping at her watch. Sue cleared her throat and looked back down at the envelope, she'd never been more assured in the low intelligence of celebrities as she had when they'd allowed her to tally the votes. Of four people, all of whom could easily see who the other judges were selecting.

"In spite of Ms Corcoran's announcement a winner must still be named." Sue said trying not to look at Will even though she could feel his eyes boring into her. Tearing open the envelope she turned the small piece of paper around to the audience. "You can all thank Ms Corcoran for delaying proceedings unnecessarily, the new Regional Champions the even more stupidly named than the other teams New Directions."

The team didn't jump up and down, they didn't cheer; they all actually seemed frozen and speechless. Well except for Puck and Quinn.

"Mercedes! Did Sue Sylvester just say we won?" Quinn asked her voice coming out in a shout, hoarse from screaming through labour.

"We won, we beat Vocal Adrenaline." Rachel said softly, Finn whooped and hoisted her up turning in his arms so that he could kiss her soundly, he didn't even care that she hadn't told him he could do it.

"I don't know what's better." Matt yelled as the very angry and living up to their name Vocal Adrenaline stalked from the stage. "That we won or that St. Jackass and co lost their scholarships!"

"Definitely tough to call." Mike agreed bumping his chest against Matts and then rubbing it; that hurt more than you'd think. Mr Schuester was seemingly still in shock, his phone was ringing and he hadn't even noticed. The group started to remember where they were as Brad sat down at the keyboard and began to play their signature song. This time they all sang along not caring if they harmonized or not.

Sue the only judge left walked over to Will and offered him her hand.

"This doesn't mean anything, you've still got State to worry about."

That was probably congratulations in Sue. Finally pulled from his daze he looked down at his phone, Principal Higgins had called him but that wasn't the name he wanted to see. Punching in the numbers by heart he waited for her to answer.

"We won."

Not exactly proper greeting etiquette but he was still in a state of shock.

"I know."

Her reply didn't came from the phone but behind him, turning around he couldn't believe Emma was really standing there, but she was lucky gold shoes and all.

"I couldn't miss the kids big day." She said lightly. "Congratulations Will, Glee club stays."

"Thanks Emma."

And much like he did last time, with no prior warning and no words he leant over and kissed her. She let out a small squeak but kissed him back. Neither noticed the group staring wide eyed, in the absence of Puck, Matt and Mike took it upon themselves to whoop.

It was a great feeling, karma. It gave Rachel hope that not everything in life was unfair but then again they still had state and then hopefully nationals to contend with. Who knows what drama would happen between now and then.

**3 GLEE 3**

**Glee shall be back soon, does anyone else think the reason they could be going to NATIONALS is because Vocal Adrenaline have been disqualified? Or have to withdraw after losing their coach? Hmm you never know =D**


End file.
